Summer Guide 2012: South Philly

Paper Cutting. Remember making snowflakes in grade school? Well, that was a (very basic) form of paper cutting. During this two-day intensive workshop, you’ll learn how to develop your own design and create a picture using just paper, scissors and knives. July 10 & July 17, 6:30pm. $35-$40. Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catherine St. 215.922.3456. fleisher.org

Knit & Sip. Whether you’re a novice knitter or total newbie, each week you’re invited to come and sip on hot tea as you work on a project. Yarn and basic instruction will be provided. All you need to bring is your creativity and a needle (size nine or larger if you’re just learning.) Every Thurs., July 12-Aug. 30. 6:30pm. Free Library, South Philadelphia Branch, 1700 S. Broad St. 215.685.1866. freelibrary.org

Second Saturday. Take a stroll down Passyunk Avenue and enjoy the usual art openings, live music, food specials and, of course, all the wine and cheese your heart desires. You’ll also find a beer sampling at the Bottle Shop and psychic readings at Black N Brew. July 14 & Aug. 11. Various times and locations along E. Passyunk Ave. visiteastpassyunk.com

Lucky 13 & Sweet Jane Vintage Block Party. Stop by the corner of 13th Street and Passyunk Avenue for an afternoon of live music, great pub fare and vintage shopping. Really, it doesn’t get much better than that. July 15, 1pm. Free. Lucky 13, 1820 S. 13th St. 215.336.8467. lucky13pubphilly.com

SmörgåsBeer’d. What better way to appreciate Swedish cultural heritage than while knocking back a few of country’s best seasonal brews? July 14, 5pm. Free. American Swedish History Museum, 1900 Pattison Ave. 215.389.1776. americanswedish.org

Aerosmith. For the first time since 2005, “The Bad Boys from Boston” are coming here to Philly. And this time, they’re bringing along fellow rock ‘n’ roll legend Cheap Trick. July 21, 8pm. $49-$149. With Cheap Trick. Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. 800.298.4200. wellsfargocenterphilly.com

Magic Show. Magician Brian Richards will create fun and excitement with his special blend of magic and comedy. Proving he’s got the skills to amaze, at the age of 13, Richards became the youngest lecturer for the International Brotherhood of Magicians. July 25, 6:30m. Free. Independence Library, 18 S. Seventh St. 215.685.1633. libwww.freelibrary.org

7th Annual Car Show & Street Festival. For this annual block party, more than 130 antique, show and custom cars, trucks and motorcycles will line Passyunk Avenue. There will also be live music, street food and vendors on every block. July 29, 12pm. Free. Along E. Passyunk Ave. between Broad & Dickenson sts. visiteastpassyunk.com

AUGUST

Swedish American Line. Join the Swedish American Museum for the opening of its next special exhibition, which chronicles the stories of the famed Swedish American Line. While there, you might as well check out the other exhibits currently on display in the museum’s whopping 12 different galleries. Aug. 2, 5:30pm. $6-$8. American Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Ave. 215.389.1776. americanswedish.org

Festivus Games. This first national CrossFit-style competition will test the endurance of both novice and intermediate CrossFitters. Aug. 4, 9am. $50. Fearless Athletics, 744 S. 11th St. 215.983.1515. fearlessathleticsphilly.com

Silkscreen: All Levels. This one-week intensive workshop will cover the fundamentals of silkscreen printing, including various screen stencils, block-outs and color registration. Class size is limited to just eight students, so be sure to register ASAP. Aug. 6-10, 10am. $130-$155. Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catherine St. 215.922.3456. fleisher.org

The Judo Range + American Breakfast. The Judo Range is one of the newest sketch groups in town and the only one with a robot cast member. American Breakfast is four people who formed a sketch group based solely on the fact that they don’t actively dislike each other. Both will share the stage for two straight nights. Aug. 9, 9pm. Aug. 10, 8:30pm. $10-$12. The Shubin Theater, 407 Bainbridge St. 267.233.1556. phillyimprovtheater.com

String Band Music Under the Stars. Every Thursday night throughout summer, grab a lawn chair and head over to the Mummer’s Museum for an old-fashioned block party. In addition to classic summer treats (soft pretzels and hot dogs), a different string band will perform each week. There may even be a few mummers in attendance to teach you the “Mummers Strut.” Every Thurs. through Sept. 8pm. Free. Mummer’s Museum, 1100 S. Second St. 215.336.3050. mummersmuseum.com

Japanese Wood Block Printing. Learn how to achieve multiple colors in a printed image with perfect registration using this traditional Japanese technique. All students will have the opportunity to carve and print their own image and since the process doesn’t require a press or large workspace, they can continue to enjoy working with this technique at home. Aug. 13-17, 10am. $140-$165. Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catherine St. 215.922.3456. fleisher.org

Crayfish Party. Now that you’ve spent the past two months gorging on hot dogs and hamburgers like a true American, shake things up with an authentic Swedish summer feast. During this annual event, guests will be served a platter of these mini-lobster-looking freshwater crustaceans, along with bread, cheese, potato salad and snaps. Aug. 16, 6pm. $45-$50. American Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Ave. 215.389.1776. americanswedish.org

American Idol Live! Now that American Idol has wrapped up its 11th season, it is of course time for their 11th batch of mediocre finalists to invade cities across the country. Aug. 21, 6pm. $27-$63. Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. 800.298.4200. wellsfargocenterphilly.com

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